‘Goalposts shifted’ as megamine in limbo

THE State Government has been accused of failing to meet its own deadline for releasing the controversial review preventing the Carmichael mega coalmine from finally proceeding.

Indian miner Adani issued a stinging rebuke of the Labor administration after it failed to provide the company with the draft version of the review into the mine's management plan for black-throated finches.

Adani yesterday accused the Government of shifting the goalposts, refusing to give the miner a fair go and leaving thousands of prospective mine workers in limbo.

"We're disappointed the Queensland Government refuses to give us clarity on what's required to finalise this plan…" an Adani spokeswoman told The Courier-Mail.

"We're disappointed that we're urgently trying to deliver jobs for regional Queenslanders in places that have a near 10 per cent unemployment rate, but the Queensland Government is standing in the way.

"All we want is for the Queensland Government to give us a fair go in line with every other Queensland mining company so we can get on with delivering the project, the jobs, and the benefits for Queensland."

Department of Environment and Science director-general Jamie Merrick promised late last month to release the draft document.

Adani’s Labona Camp in central western Queensland is awaiting commencement of the Carmichael mega coalmine.

"The expert panel is required to provide its draft report to the department on Friday, 1 February," Mr Merrick wrote.

"… The department will give a copy of the draft report to Adani for its review and comment."

The department last night confirmed it had received the draft report and would seek to meet the company to discuss its findings.

The 11th-hour review ordered by the Department of Environment and Science has shocked Queensland resources sector which has demanded the Government drop the process.

The matter was further inflamed after it was revealed the review was being headed by Threatened Species Recovery Hub director Brendan Wintle.

Five out of the six experts on the panel compiled by Prof Wintle are senior figures with the Hub whose members have opposed the use of biodiversity offsets to help species displaced by development.

Prof Wintle has staunchly defended the review and the professionalism and expertise of those conducting.